Category: greenhouse gas

The Story of Cap & Trade is a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the leading climate solution being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill. Host Annie Leonard introduces the energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme and reveals the “devils in the details” in current cap and trade proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis.

I have always thought cloth napkins were better than paper always but now I am finding out that it depends on the situation. In our house we don’t use paper napkins or paper towels, just cloth napkins. And in most cases this is the best option but there are times when paper napkins are better than cloth.

I begin by weighing some napkins. My paper napkins weigh only 4 grams each, while my cotton napkins weigh 28 grams, and linen napkins weigh 35 grams. Of course the exact weight will vary but the relative weights will be roughly the same. I am again turning to James Norman, a life cycle analysis expert and the Director of Research at Planet Metrics for some of the data that I need.

Making Napkins

Washing Napkins

Drying Napkins

How do they compare?

Napkins in the Restaurant

Napkins in the home

At the end they help you know whats best for each scenario and throughout the article they stated the amount of greenhouse gases and water each scenario uses. Click here for the complete article and make your decision on whether to use paper or cloth.